Vocal Music & Forms

Front 1

DEFINE ANTHEM

Back 1

Sacred choral music (Protestant) sung by the choir rather than the congregation, accompanied by organ;

Front 2

DEFINE ARIA

Back 2

Solo dramatic, lyrical song used in opera, oratorio or cantata; develops a high point in the work, but rarely advances the action of the plot

Front 3

DEFINE ARIOSO

Back 3

Solo song resembling both Recitative and Aria; maintains careful treatment of the text (like RECITATIVE) but is more melodious (like ARIA); ie. Wagner

Front 4

DEFINE BALLAD

Back 4

(1) simple song (2) Narrative poem set to music such as Schubert's Erl-König (3) Piano piece, orchestral piece or choral work patterned after above style (ie. Chopin's Four Ballades for piano

Front 5

DEFINE CANON

Back 5

Song with two or more voices, each representing a melody. It is the strictest of contrapuntal forms, using imitation. The 2 types are perpetual (infinite) or finite w/definite close

Front 6

DEFINE CANTATA

Back 6

Sacred or secular "music for singing" as opposed to music to be played on instruments (sonata); Bach composed over 200 cantatas which were performed in the Lutheran service before the sermon

Front 7

DEFINE CHORALE

Back 7

German hymn developed by Martin Luther; basis of much of German music up to 18th Century; Bach harmonized over 400 of these simple melodies

Front 8

DEFINE "LIED"

Back 8

German art song; effective union of music & words that captured the mood of a particular poem; 2 types: strophic lied=same music for each stanza of poem; through-composed=each verse is set to different music; Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Wolf, et al

Front 9

DEFINE MADRIGAL

Back 9

Vocal chamber music for the home. Secular music in 2-3 parts; flourished in 16th-17th Century Italy & England.

Front 10

DEFINE MASS (6 parts)

Back 10

1.Kyrie Eleison 2.Gloria 3.Credo 4.Sanctus 5.Benedictus 6.Agnus Dei

Front 11

DEFINE MOTET

Back 11

Polyphonic setting of Latin religious text other than those of the Mass; 16th C. with Lassus, Palestrina & Victoria

Front 12

DEFINE OPERA

Back 12

One of the most important musical forms; brings together singer/actor, music, costumes & performers with the composer; setting moods for all purposes

Front 13

DEFINE ORATORIO

Back 13

Dramatic work for soloists, chorus & orchestra; libretto concerns a sacred subject; unlike opera in that it was not written to be acted on a stage; greater emphasis on the role of the chorus; ie. Handel's Messiah

Front 14

DEFINE PASSION

Back 14

Piece of sacred music resembling an oratorio based on the last events in the life of Christ; Bach, Schütz

Front 15

DEFINE RECITATIVE

Back 15

Music in which the vocal part imitates spoken text

Front 16

DEFINE SONG

Back 16

Music that unites text and melody